Fuel and energy - Case Study Example

Cutting trees, air pollution, water pollution etc. are some of the after-effects that tend to destroy the delicate balance of the nature. Traditionally we've been using oil and gas for all of our energy requirements. But over the years, with growing realisation of threat to environment and fast depleting natural resources, governments around the world have started making efforts to see that how best we can adjust our lifestyle in such a manner that the future generations do not face acute shortage of energy and a healthy living environment.

It is no secret that our energy needs are growing day by day, but at the same time, the supplies of oil and gas are shrinking. It is said that each drop of oil which we use in seconds takes millions of years to develop through the natural process (Smale, 2004). Therefore, it is certain that a day will come when the oil sources around the world will dry up. The North Sea production has certainly led to the transformation of UK oil industry, but at the same time industry analysts have expressed their views from time to time that the production has peaked and we must prepare for a life after oil (Murray, 2004).

Though due to the recessionary trends the crude oil prices have come down, but the manner in which these prices were on their way up till sometime back, were a serious cause of worry for the government. Therefore, we need to plan in such a manner that the country finds itself prepared for any eventuality in the coming years. Well, we can always call upon the citizens to make judicious use of energy to preserve the sources for long, but such measures would prove to be short-term measures only.

Damage to environment by the use of oil and gas is another very important aspect which has forced us to think about greener alternatives.Planning for the long-term would involve use of renewable fuel sources. This is an alternative which can help the country in adopting a holistic approach towards making use of cleaner fuels. Organic fuel is one such alternative which promises to be a dependable alternative for our energy needs. Plants, animals as well as human beings absorb some amount of solar energy which is stored in the body in the form of fats, sugars or starches.

If we can extract this energy for reuse, it is termed as organic fuel. As compared to fossil fuels, such organic fuels are far more environment friendly. Though, theoretically all plants are supposed to have this property, but there are some plants which have more of such ability. In fact when Rudolph Diesel developed Diesel in 1895, he also made use of oil extracted from sunflower, rape, peanuts and palm. But, with the discovery of fossil fuels, the petrochemical industry came to being. As we enter into the 21st century, the need for saving on our resources becomes more prominent.

In order to have a smooth transition, Bio-fuel technology is divided into three generations1; First-generation bio-fuel technology makes use of what we eatSecond-generation technology makes use of what we throw away. Third-generation bio-fuels will subsequently be produced from some plants which were earlier considered to be of little use.The amount of carbon dioxide that melts into the atmosphere as a result of our routine actions creates damaging footprints of carbon. In fact at times, we unknowingly tend to perform some actions which lead to an increase in our carbon footprints on the environment,